She Doesn't Like to Be Touched
by silversurf4
Summary: Post One Aftermath. Crews defends his partner. Could be a one-shot. Could be more. LMK via reviews
1. Chapter 1

**She Doesn't Like to Be Touched…**

The ambulance tech only meant to help, but as he reached for Reese, she flinched and something in Charlie Crews snapped.

"Don't touch her," he growled.

The medic ignored him and reached for Reese a second time only to find himself facing a snarling six foot redhead who magically appeared in the space between him and the dark haired woman patient.

The man repeated in a menacing tone, "I said… don't – touch – her," annunciating each word like it was it's own statement.

"How am I supposed to check her out if I can't touch her, buddy?" the paramedic tried to reason with her protector.

"She's just been through god knows what. She doesn't like to be touched and if… she wants to be examined…ask," Crews negotiated.

"Fine," the medic rolled his eyes, with a laborious sigh and leaned around Crews to make eye contact with Dani Reese. "Miss, may I check you for injuries?"

"I'm fine," she said tersely wrapping her arms around herself in a protective posture.

"Reese?" Crews inquired softly. He, unlike the medic, was well within her personal space, but he was welcomed at the moment, others were not.

"I'm fine," she repeated dully.

"Honey?" he questioned.

Her anger flared and her eyes met his, then she saw through his ploy, "I'm fine. He didn't hurt me. Really." She watched him believe it.

"Miss?" the medic was persistent.

"Scram," Charlie growled.

"I'm supposed to…" the medic argued.

"I said beat it," Charlie encouraged drawing himself up to his full height.

He closed up his kit bag and walked away defeated by the two most stubborn people on the planet.

"I think he's disappointed he didn't get to examine you," Charlie joked coyly.

"Life's full of little disappointments," she joked back.

"Here," he shrugged off his navy blue suit coat and draped it over her shoulders.

"The sun is shining," she pointed out the obvious. "How can I be cold?"

"Shock," he offered.

"I'm…" she gritted between clenched teeth as she repeated herself for the tenth time in as many minutes.

"I know – you're fine," he finished for her. His hand lingered just a moment as he closed the coat around her. "You're sure?" he questioned gently, just for her ears.

"I am," she vowed in nearly a whisper.

"Folks," Bodner interrupted. "We got company."

Kevin Tidwell burst from Jane Seever's unmarked car before it even rolled to a stop. He closed the distance between them in a matter of seconds. He wrapped Dani in a warm hug then unabashedly kissed her lips, whilst framing her face with his hands.

"My god," he gushed openly. "Babe, I've been worried sick about you. Are you okay? Do you need…. Hey, medic! Come here. She needs…" he talked excitedly.

"I'm fine," she barked and Charlie shouted simultaneously.

The synchronicity of their mutual response caused everyone in earshot to stop and stare. Tidwell looked uncomfortably back and forth, only just then noticing Crews' jacket draped over the small frame of Dani Reese.

She took a step away from him, and into the shadow cast by her partner. Even in the LA sun, he looked as cold as she felt., but she sensed he burned brightly lit from within. He matched her step, coltish in his unease, but inexorably drawn to her.

They didn't touch, Roman forbade it, but Roman was no longer here… Charlie had removed him like a farmer cuts away blight.

"Dani?" Tidwell's voice sounded small and far away, as she took another halting step towards her partner and protector. Crews watched her intently and his arms lifted slightly, impelled by his desire to touch her before he forced himself to be still.

"Crews…" Tidwell spoke to him sharply. "What's wrong with her?"

Charlie's gaze flickered to his Captain for a moment, then returned to encourage his partner. He stared into her eyes as she continued to approach him and laid a shaking hand on his chest. "She doesn't like to be touched," he said softly.

Then she stepped into him and lay her head against the soft blue shirt that covered his hammering heart. His arm gently embraced her without conscious thought. She sighed and he felt the weight of her against him.

She had surrendered to the safety of his arms, not the medic, not her boyfriend, him. That meant something. He lowered his head and rested his chin atop her head.

"He's gone," he murmured quietly, "you're safe now. No one will ever hurt you again." He let his eyes slipped closed and the world around them disappeared. Bodner, Seever, Tidwell, the paramedic, Bobby, the blinking lights of the patrol cars, the green of the trees, the sand in the air from all the traffic; it vanished. All he felt was her. He breathed deeply all his senses registered was her.

She clung to him, one hand against his chest, the other slid around his waist. His heart beat wildly at first, but now it was a deep strong sound that anchored her in the now. She felt his warmth and the familiar scent of his sweat. All that Roman had denied her, all she denied herself, was right there before her now.

"I wanna go home," she told him.

He didn't give her excuses. He didn't try to convince her otherwise. His response was a simple, immediate and direct, "okay." He reached between them and clasped her hand. It felt good. Then he led her toward the cars. "Seever," he spoke to an attractive, mocha skinned woman with dancing eyes and a sweet smile. "I need your car." She gave it to him without question.

Tidwell was stunned into silence. Then the chaos of Roman's car burning nearby and the appearance of a body inside created an eddy of activity that carried him away.

Crews opened the passenger door, she sat down and it closed behind her. She watched him all the way as he crossed in front of the car to take his place behind the wheel. His eyes never left hers.

The pretty young woman called Seever tried to speak to him, but he never even looked at her. She gave up all pretence and simply put the keys into Crews hand. She looked through the windshield and smiled at Dani.

If Dani Reese hadn't just witnessed the ultimate expression of love, she might have been jealous, but she didn't feel that emotion rise in her. All she felt was peace as Crews settled in the car and shut the door. The engine sparked to life and she watched as people pointed, stared and angry expressions began to form. Crews ignored everyone and in the shock and chaos, he simply drove them away.

Quiet descended and the steady hum of the tires on pavement became the sound she most noticed. "Where would you like to go?" he asked carefully.

"I'm tired," she told him honestly. "I just need to sleep."

"I know a place," he said simply and steered the car away from the fields and toward the coast. It took about forty minutes, but she stared out the window and the time fell away. When they stopped in front of a seaside resort, she smiled. He left for a moment and returned with a key and two bottles of water.

They parked at the last bungalow on a rocky stretch of beach. They walked together to the door, which Crews unlocked and then stood in the quiet darkness of a shaded room. Out the patio glass sliding door, the Pacific Ocean rocked rhythmically. A large king sized bed beckoned. She lay his jacket on the back of a chair and removed her shoes. He opened the sliding door and the sound of the waves washed over them. She climbed into bed fully clothed, curled up on her side and stared at the beach and ocean.

He loosened his tie, rolled up his sleeves and took off his shoes. He carefully climbed into the bed beside her. After a moment, he gathered his courage and rolled onto his side, spooning behind her and draped his arm over her. "Is this okay?" he asked gingerly.

She said nothing, but sighed and snuggled closer. His arm slid under her pillow and she settled against his chest. "I thought you didn't like to be touched..." he offered in a deep timbre with a touch of humor.

"Turns out…it only has to be the right person," she replied and felt the stress leave him. They lay like that, staring into the sunny sand and listening to the waves crash against the rocks beyond until sleep took them. Neither could recall when it was. They slept the sound, dreamless sleep of trust and a well earned peace.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note** : (Updated...cause I can't leave well enough alone). _

* * *

She woke in the night. Stars shone brightly against a pitch-black sky. Lower, nearly touching the sea, a quarter moon bathed the ocean and their room in a silver glow. The moon appeared supernaturally large. She knew from school it was due to perspective, but she'd never gotten past her childhood amazement and the sense of wonder a low hung moon's luminous presence bathed her in. It felt as though the light was washing her clean. Part of her recognized this sensation was all part of surviving Roman and both of them escaping, but it did not stop her heart from beating just a little bit faster. She felt as though all at once she'd swallowed too much air and might float away.

A cool breeze smelling of salt and cleanliness caressed her face and her body was warmed from the presence of her partner who snored softly beside her. She swung away from him and swiveled her legs to sit on the bedside. She stretched, breathed and turned to look at her partner. His fair features gilded in the light of the moon made him looks like a statute in stone. She touched his face and he smiled in his sleep. He rolled onto his back and a few moments later the snoring continued.

She rolled her eyes. She poked him in the side. "Gimme your shirt," she demanded.

She sniffed at her shirt and knew it was time to wash two weeks of dust, grime and the stench of Roman off her.

He yawned, stretched and rubbed his eyes, "what?"

"Gimme your shirt," she repeated. "I want to shower and I need something clean to wear…..or at least something different."

He rose silently and slowly began unbuttoning the pale blue shirt. _His pace seductive or maybe she'd just been away too long_ she thought _._ Under the shirt, he wore a simple ribbed white tank undershirt. Beneath that she could see his ribs as he breathed in and out. His head rose and his blue eyes shone as he held the shirt in his hand. But he didn't hold it out; it hung limply from his hand by his side. The message was clear, but he said it anyway.

"If you want it, come and take it," he teased in a low gravely tone.

She did not fear him or his shameless flirting. She was a master of this game. She walked close enough to see his breath quicken. She held his eyes until she grasped the shirt and pushed him back on the bed. "Go back to sleep."

He heard the water running, grabbed a pillow and put it over his head. He laid still try not to think about Dani in the shower and not for the first time. His brain was muddled from lack of sleep and the adrenaline of the day had finally worn off. He felt truly tired, despite the respite of the few hours of uninterrupted sleep they'd had. But sleep would not come, not while he couldn't hold her, couldn't see that she was safe. He knew it couldn't last, their closeness, but while it did….he cared for it like the precious, fragile gift it was.

He rose, walked to the patio door and pushed it open. The sticky humid salt air greeted him. He could taste the sea. He grabbed a bottle of water from the bedside and drained it all at once. His thirst quenched, he just stood there considering the waning moon. It calmed him; reflecting on the moon. She reflected the light of the sun, there was no glow from her internally. She was a mirror for the brighter sun, cooler but complimentary. He pondered the significance of the relationship and how it applied to people or if it did at all.

He let the motion of the waves lull him into a simple meditation. He felt his breath go in and out as he listened to the rhythm of the sea and shore; each greeting the other warmly and then retreated as if in fear of their closeness. It reminded him of his relationship with the woman in the shower; ebb and flow eternal. They worked together, like the moon and the sun, the sea and the shore; but had that balance changed today? He felt as if it had, but really that was choice for Reese.

She left the steamy shower dressed in a sleek, smooth baby blue dress shirt that smelled of him. That was all she wore. Her hair damp from the shower was slicked back. She'd have put it in a ponytail for want of a rubber band. The bed was empty, but the patio door was open and the sound of the ocean louder than she recalled. She deduced quickly that Crews was out there, in the dark, contemplating deep thoughts. It had been an exhausting few days. She'd lost track of how many.

She didn't know if she had the courage to alter the course of their conjoined future, but she could sense that all that changed right now, in this instant, if she chose to walk out that open door and choose the man who clearly loved her over all her other choices. Dani was a master at avoiding choice: she'd run from it; hide from it - in both liquor and meaningless relationships; she'd even been known to sabotage her own happiness on more than one occasion. It made her cautious. Crews was too important to her to screw this up. She'd rejected Tidwell yesterday, they both felt the distance between them; one that hadn't been geographic was seismological. She'd shifted away from him even before she's left to go to the FBI.

Crews sensed her behind him. He could smell the scent of her shampoo and feel the warmth of the steamy shower air in the smallness of the hotel suite. He didn't want to push her, but part of him couldn't help it.

"You coming out here or not?" he asked just loud enough for her to hear. The timbre of his voice was intimate on purpose.

A moment of panic ensued, she froze, unable to go back, unwilling to go forward.

"I'm not gonna hurt you, Dani," he vowed. "No one is ever gonna hurt you again." The disappointment in his tone was powerful. It was the unstoppable force with the power to influence an immovable object.

She appeared in the threshold of the doorway behind him. "I know that," she said softly.

He released the breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding. Then his heart and breath stopped as he felt her arms wrap around him from behind and her face press against his back.

She knew she'd startled him. She'd surprised even herself. She felt the tension in him and the lack of movement. For a moment she was certain she'd made a mistake, then his words to her from the orange grove came to her on a breath of salt air.

"Breathe," she told him. And he did. One of his hands left the railing and covered hers, almost as though he was afraid she'd vanish. She felt him breath in and out, but under that his heart hammered furiously.


	3. Chapter 3

His eyes slipped closed, his hand covered hers. As the waves slipped in and out, so did his breath. Her cheek rested against his back until she could feel the difference between the one warmed by his body and the one chilled by the cool morning air. Slowly his fingers gripped her hand and slid between hers, just as slowly as their lives had become intertwined. They were connected; they were inextricably linked. They stayed like this as his heart stopped flip-flopping and he could truly appreciate her closeness and trust. This was a rare moment among a lifetime of few specials moments for either of them. Finally, the cold chilled them both.

He turned and led her back inside. Both were silent, until he reached for the light.

"Leave it off," she demanded. "Come back to bed. I want to spend a few more hours alone.

"But you're not alone," he teased lightly. "We are never truly alone. The light that shines on me shines on my neighbor as…"

"Shut up," she put her hand over his mouth sounding dangerously close to giggling. "Come to bed with me," she ordered.

"I've missed this," he loved her lightness and her almost laughter. He complied out of one part habit and one part desire. Desire to see what might happen next; what she would do. The air was full of possibility. "You ordering me around. Seever never orders me around. Seever always asks – nicely."

"Oh….she does," she climbed into the bed and then straddled her nearly laughing partner. He stopped laughing almost immediately. "Does Seever do this?" she swept her still wet hair to the side and kissed him.

Charlie Crews lost his voice. But his hands remembered what to do.

His hands slid up her toned thighs to her tight ass and pulled her closer. It took a couple seconds for his brain to register the lack of undergarments but other parts of him tuned in more quickly. He immediately knew he was wearing too many articles of clothing.

Her kiss was neither harsh nor hasty. She took her time and as her partner's shock wore off he became a decidedly equal participant in their kissing. For a man locked in prison for twelve years, he was a pretty skilled kisser. He didn't waste time licking her ears or branding her with his mark. He moved with pace at her pleasure, from her mouth to her neck as his hands travelled up her back drawing her against him. Then he expertly rolled them as a unit until he rested atop her.

She grumbled her discontent until he set back and began unfastening his belt and trousers. Then she acquiesced.

He smiled in the dark for just a moment before kissing her hard. He made quick work of the buttons of his own shirt to remove the offending garment from her body – a task he'd performed on himself only an hour earlier to give the pale blue shirt to her. His head hurt just thinking about the journey of that shirt and the fact it was now the most special garment in his wardrobe.

He kissed a trail between her breasts, to her belly and beyond; making a note to return there to lavish attention on her, but first he kissed her thighs and inhaled the scent of her.

She watched him; her partner, her lover, her savior as he stilled and smiled up at her. His head twisted sideways in a uniquely Charlie mannerism and her smile told him all was well. He returned to his ministrations and as he did she felt the warmth of her orgasm growing within her. The release, from both the bonds of captivity and the tight constraints she'd placed around her heart created the conditions for an epic physical release.

This man, this time, this choice called to her from the center of the ever wobbling, spinning universe. She stilled and let the feeling wash over her. Being still she realized did not require that she not move; instead it required that she move from a place of peace. With him, she had found that peace.

She grasped fists full of sheets as his tongue lapped gently at her center and then he suckled at her core until tears ran from her eyes. She could recall making no sounds, but knew she must have, as the orgasm welling with her rippled through her belly. Then she was no longer holding onto the sheet. She had him by the hair dragging him to her. She wanted his mouth on hers, his body on hers, his skin on hers. He muffled a quiet protest before she gripped him tightly and made her desires known. Then he obeyed.

He sank between her legs and settled himself within her. He began rocking to a rhythm that was his breath, the ocean and the sea. She tasted salt in her mouth and knew she'd bit him, but he didn't care. He buried his head in the hollow of her neck and cried her name against her throat. Not Reese, but Dani…. She could taste the sweat on his temple and feel the heat of him within her as he met her release with one of his own. They crumpled together, spent and satiated.

They slept again – this time a rest born of a different kind of exhaustion.


	4. Chapter 4

When Dani woke again, Crews was in the shower. She drank some water and ate some of the fruit, he'd had room service delivered. When Crews emerged from a steamy bathroom, the familiar scent of his aftershave hit her.

"This place has your aftershave?" she wondered aloud.

"How do you know what my aftershave smells like?" he teased.

She rolled her eyes. "I've only ridden with you for what? …like three years. You've worn that aftershave, every day, since the first week we started working together."

He grinned. What was meant to demonstrate only her attention to detail, backfired – as it also demonstrated how long she'd noticed small things about him.

"What?" she asked him.

He decided not to pursue his new evidence. _Perhaps this could last_ he dared to think.

"You want clean clothes?" he arched his eyebrows provacatively. "Voila," he pulled a hanger from the bathroom. On it hung, a pair of jeans, a white t-shirt and her maroon leather jacket.

"If you have clean underwear in there, I'll love you forever," she joked.

He froze, stunned by her casual use of the term "love."

"Crews?" she questioned.

"Uh, yeah," he snapped out his reverie. It was after all just a figure of speech. He still had no idea if the rather mind blowing sex was a portent of things to come or simply a release of energy for them both. "I had Bobby bring us clean clothes."

Reese's head snapped up and a flash of anger crossed her face. "Stark was elbow deep in my underwear drawer?"

Charlie looked flummoxed. _How did a good thing become a bad thing so fast?_

"Uh…I…well," he got incredibly nervous, wringing his neck with his hand. "On a scale of one to ten, how mad are you?"

"Four," she said sharply. "But maybe a shower and clean clothes will change that," she smiled softly as she disappeared into the bathroom.

He released a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Making her angry was a lot less nerve wracking before he fell in love with her. He decided to venture out in search of coffee while she showered.

The way to Reese's heart included caffeine. _Who knew how long it had been since she'd had some coffee_? That was bound to tip things in his favor.

* * *

Dani stood under the hot water for as long as she could stand it. Then she scrubbed herself nearly raw. The second shower in 24 hours and she still felt the grime of that basement and the slime of Roman on her. She touched her face, feeling the tender spot where Roman struck her. She shivered as she recalled him trailing his hand down her cheek. Despite the hot water, she felt cold. She wondered if it would ever stop.

She climbed from the shower and wiped a wet hand across the mirror. It was only then that she realized how tired she looked, how tired she was. Despite her bravado, the week she'd been held by Roman had taken a toll on her. How Charlie could find her attractive with dark circles under her eyes and sunken cheeks was beyond her. For the first time in her life, except rehab, she looked frail, gaunt. She hated it. But in retrospect, this explained the utter tenderness and supreme care he'd taken with her last night.

Her mind took her back to their lovemaking. She could feel the tenseness in him, the desire he held back, the caution she now understood. She felt loved, revered and adored, but she knew there was a level of want he possessed and that he was denying her. He wasn't hesitant, he was careful – with her. Now she understood why.

She closed her eyes and she could feel the feather light kisses he placed on her brow, then her cheeks and the corners of her mouth. The pads of his thumbs caressed her cheeks and then he slowly removed her clothes kissing her all over. As she slowly dressed in her own clothes and the familiarity of them, the scent of her own laundry detergent and the smoothness of familiar threads melted away her anger.

She opened the bathroom door only mildly annoyed and there on the only chair in the room sat a very expectant looking Charlie Crew holding a cup of coffee he'd magically come up with from somewhere. It was then, that very moment that she knew she loved him.

"Hi, I'm Charlie," he smiled softly, "and I come bearing gifts." He lifted the coffee.

She could smell the rich dark chocolate and something fruity underneath as she lifted it to her lips. The warmth was welcome and the caffeine felt like it entered her bloodstream directly – like heroin. This was legal drug, but one she'd never give up.

Charlie watched her. She looked less angry. She seemed to enjoy the coffee. He risked a question, "am I forgiven?"

She smiled slyly, keeping him in suspense for a moment. Then she walked to his feet, she stood towering above him. She reached past him and gently placed the cup on the table at his elbow. She felt the tension in him as he sat pinned on the tiny cushion. She twisted her head and examined him but said nothing.

"Reese…" he argued. "If you don't like it, can get you something else…."

"Shhhh…." She demanded of him.

He complied quickly. Then she did something unexpected, she moved forward and straddled him, sliding fully into his lap.

"I like it. There's something here I want more," she purred.

He swallowed hard. _This woman was going to kill him, but what a way to go_.

She leaned in and kissed him. Again she took her time, sucking on his bottom lip and flicking her tongue across the opening of his mouth. She surprised him, but he caught up pretty quickly. This wasn't a one-time thing, this wasn't need – this was want. It made him bold. He kissed her hard with the power and desire she knew he possessed.

They broke for air and her forehead rested against his. "There you are…" she murmured. "I knew you were in there somewhere, Charlie."

Charlie could not move, he was hard pressed to summon speech at he moment.

He closed his eyes as she spoke to him. He tried to will his heart to stop pounding and his body to relax. "I don't want to hurt you," he confessed. "I'm afraid I might hurt you."

"You're not hurting me. You won't hurt me. Even if you aren't sure of it – I am. I'm not going to break. I'm not going to leave. I'm not fragile. I want you to be with me, not protect me."

"I'll always protect you. I love you," he argued quietly.

She withdrew, stood and resumed drinking her coffee.

He couldn't gauge her mood. It was hard for him to tell if she was angry or just indifferent.

"This is good," she remarked to herself.

He couldn't tell if she meant them or the coffee. "Dani…" he began, but she cut him off.

"We can't stay here," she mused while sipping her coffee. "They'll find us."

"Us?" He finally regained enough control to stand. "You mean me. I think it's time you went home."

"Uh-uh," she objected and her countenance darkened. "Look what happened last time we split up."

"That's not your fault," he gutted out his confession, his fear.

"Roman took you….to get to me. All this happened because of me. I am dangerous to you, for you. He hurt you. I know you say he didn't, but I saw the blood – in the video – on your mouth," he touched her tenderly, "here." His thumb grazed the corner of your mouth, where Roman had drawn her blood. His commitment wavered as her eyes softened, but he reached down deep for it and continued.

"I won't let that happen again. You need to go home Dani. To your home, back to your job, your life, back to….Tidwell," his voice broke betraying the emotion underneath his stoically spoken words.

That was when she slapped him. It happened so fast that it truly surprised him.

"You don't get to do that." Her bottom lip trembled and she was dangerously close to tears. She wiped at her face with the back of her hand. "No."

"Dani," his voice was low and serious.

"No," she warned backing away, "just no."

She stopped backing when she hit the wall.

He kept losing his footing with her as his body moved without thought, just to console her, to comfort her. His mind knew he didn't trust himself to just touch her, but his heart moved his limbs anyway. He stopped just short of her and waited.

"You don't get to do that," she whispered weakly.

"Do what? What'd I do honey?" his voice dripped charm and concern.

She looked up and his eyes held hers like his arms wanted to. There was warmth there, concern, compassion, love and her future was tied up in those blue eyes of theirs.

"Make me care about you," she bravely stuck her chin out and dared him to hit it, "then walk away. Roman didn't take me to get to you. Maybe he did, but only after I told the FBI I wouldn't be their snitch. They wanted me to come back to LAPD and get enough info to set you up."

"Just like it's always been," he mumbled under his breath.

"What?" she challenged.

"That's what they've wanted you to do since the day we were partnered," he told her a truth that they both knew.

"Have I ever done that?"

"No," he demurred. "You never have and as stubborn as you are, you never will. But I don't deserve that Dani."

"You do," she countered. "You think that because no one has even been true to you, loyal….that you don't deserve it, but I'm not her, I'm not them, I'm not gonna do that to you."

Her truth was too much for him to process, so naturally he deflected it with the humor and Zen that were his sword and shield. "You care about me?" He asked in mock shock.

She looked as if she might explode. Her face was a mixture of anger, excitation, amusement and ire. She couldn't summon words, which was his intent.

Dani didn't do professions of love; the moment she slapped him for suggesting they split up… he knew. The exact moment the sting of her hand striking his face registered in his brain, he realized that she loved him. He really did have a mean streak, which she accused him of often, but that he never saw in himself, until this very moment.

"So….I'm not just some guy you'll use and abuse and leave in the dust?"

She saw right through his attempt to deflect her very serious confession with levity. Even then he was careful with her heart.

"I know a place we can hideout," she smiled. He gave up right then. She'd won.

They'd never have that fight again. He'd never ask and she'd never offer. They were a team, for better or worse.


End file.
